DebbieS

have you ever checked-in at a hotel and received key to an already-occupied room?

this happened to me yesterday...

I checked in at a [undisclosed major hotel located inside airport terminal] and went up to the room. When I opened the door, it was obvious that someone was still staying there. Laptop was on the desk, luggage, shoes, etc, etc...

When I went back to the front desk, the clerk apologized and said that it was all a mistake. The people in that room weren't due to check out for another few days. I was assigned another room. The clerk even accompanied me to the new room.

Since this is the second time this has happened to me in the last two years, I'm wondering if this has ever happened to anyone reading this...

Thanks!

CarlTheWebmaster

Once, at the Sydney Harbour Marriott. I ended up with a better room.

diapickle

once, at a marriott in NJ.

Justme123456

Yes. Hilton @ ORD. The "Do not disturb sign" on the doorknob was my first clue. Second clue was voices I could hear behind the door. The Front Desk profusely apologized and I got an u/g room! ^

tlr

Well, the people in the room should have gotten that upgrade.....

pdx42

LAX Hilton - really one of the worst hotels I've ever stayed at. Not only did I get the key to a room that was occupied - I opened the darkened room to hear a child's voice say, 'Mommy?' - and this was after I had been given the key to another room that didn't work. Finally, on the third attempt to get in to a clean empty room - I had some success. Oh, and I was double billed for the stay. Nice, huh?

Note: LAX Hilton reps - you want to call me for more info? I'd be happy to share.

trm2

at the Raddison Indy Airport, room almost looked like a crime scene, got out of there quickly.

etch5895

Mercure Berlin TXL. I landed on a night flight from Zurich, was given the room key, and opened the door to a German woman saying 'Hallo' in a shocked voice. I closed the door, went back down to reception, and by the time I got there, she was calling the front desk to report an 'intruder'.

They gave me a new room without so much as a sorry, no upgrade, nothing.

Efrem

A few times, maybe half a dozen in several decades of travel. Usually I just find evidence of occupancy - suitcases, clothes on the bed - not the actual occupants. Never had one of those walking-in-on-naked-people experiences others post about (though so far not in this thread). Always got a new room with no problem. (Don't know what would have happened if the hotel were really full.) Never got an upgrade out of it, though.

travelmad478

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.2) 16;320x320)

Once at the Radisson Edwardian LHR, in the course of one of the most dreadful hotel stays I've ever had. (1) Key card did not work when I checked in around 11 pm, (2) after re-magnetizing card, it opened door but room already occupied, (3) upgraded to suite for what would now be a 7-hr total stay, (4) fire alarm rang TWICE during said 7 hours of attempted sleep, (5) TV came on full blast at 2 am to tell me "you have a message, Ms. Travelmad478" and then of course there was none. After the least restful night ever, I complained bitterly to the manager in the morning, the only result of which was that my employer got to pay half price for the room. Gosh, thanks!

I got another key to an occupied motel room in rural Australia this past July, but that was a breeze by comparison.

WHBM

Had it both entering a room already occupied and had others come in on me.

The third combination, the most common in my experience, is being assigned a room which, while the previous occupant has checked out, is not made up, due to some lack of liaison between housekeeping and front desk. Once I returned to the front desk from this to find them already dealing with two others who had just come back in the same situation.

It was from the latter experience I found that some hotels do not make up all rooms when you depart, but can leave it a day or so before doing so, depending on the relative workload for housekeeping each day and the occupancy. It always seemed to be Sunday evening, some hotels have a reduced housekeeping staff on Sundays.

kellio33

Twice for me in the past year. Once in LAS, walked in threw my bag on the bed and realized that someone else's stuff was there.
Another time in SFO and that somone else was sleeping!

HLS2002

This happened to me over the summer at the Hilton Garden Inn in Dubuque, Iowa. There were some people in bed watching TV when I walked in with my bag. I didn't stop to chat. The front desk was extremely apologetic, but they simply had no more rooms. I was walked to a dumpy local inn. Granted, I didn't have to pay anything, but the GM should've called to apologize, sent a note, given me a few HHonors points or something.

drbond

yes three times.

DebbieS

wow... I guess I'm not the only one... In my case, the
front desk clerk showed me to the new room, but said
"this okay with you? I gotta get back to the front now..."
(no apologies, no nothing)

can you image what would have happened if the hotel was
hosting the NRA convention, or if the people in the room
were drug dealers counting their money when I walked in?
Either one could have decided to shoot me, the "intruder"???

Or has that scenario already happened to someone in real life?